Rebecca Bender Initiative

Rebecca Bender Initiative is a survivor-led non-profit that assists survivors of trafficking in finding true freedom through individual restoration. Participants are guided through Rebecca's book Roadmap to Redemption, develop personal leadership skills, prepare for the job market and are professionally coached to begin realizing their dreams.

Headquartered

Location(s) Where We Work

RBI has worked directly with survivors all across the US and continues to bring support to trafficking survivors and effect the fight against human trafficking in states all over the nation.

Bio

The Rebecca Bender Initiative was founded in 2014 by nationally recognized expert, Rebecca Bender. After escaping a life of human trafficking, Rebecca ran home to a community where no services existed. She soon realized this was the case for many survivors around the country. Rebecca was challenged to create a program that could help women like her, survivors of exploitation who did not have access to services or support. After publishing her first book, she was sought out to train communities and professionals in identifying and rescuing victims.

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With these two ideas, Rebecca founded RBI (Rebecca Bender Initiative), which operates in three primary areas: Equip, Escape, and Elevate.

Equip

RBI is a leader and forerunner in the efforts to eradicate modern day slavery. Using not only their personal experience, RBI’s speaker’s team uses their professional experience to Equip first responders all over the U.S. In the last two years, RBI has trained over 16,000 professionals including: FBI, Homeland Security, SVU, former Presidents, Medical Professionals, Child Welfare, Prosecution, Probation, Faith Community and more. Knowing how to identify, respond, and support survivors of trafficking is crucial to changing the culture around this issue.

Escape

RBI goes beyond phone calls and platitudes. Our Escape program provides true advocacy and ongoing support for a variety of recovery issues and crisis response. Working directly with a victim, we assist in securing a safe place as well as the transportation to get there. We then use our national network to provide individual case management and wrap around services, including shelter placement, court, legal processes, probation, and more. If a program is not an option, we create a personalized care model to meet the individual's needs. RBI provides supportive listening to families and victims as they walk through tough obstacles in their recovery.

Elevate

Using online, innovative technology, survivors now have access to RBI career coaches, life coaches, and other survivors to walk them through a comprehensive program. Elevate is an intensive 16 week online, live course that takes survivors through deeper levels of healing, professional development and leadership skills. After completion, survivors receive an entire year of follow up support as well as a lifetime of connection and access to workshops - both in person and via webinar. Elevate is more than a program; it’s a lifeline to dream again and have someone walk alongside graduates as they navigate the path to reach those dreams.

The Rebecca Bender Initiative is on a mission to change the culture of exploitation by equipping communities, empowering survivors to escape, and elevating them to achieve their dreams. RBI's vision is to see a world free of oppression and objectification, where all people can pursue their dreams with zealous abandon. With creative, innovative, and culturally competent programs we are able to provide direct services to victims of exploitation and come along side those working the front lines by providing tools to those champions, and inspiring a fresh perspective on the largest social justice issue of our time.